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CHECK BACK OFTEN FOR COVERAGE OF NHL DRAFT COMBINE

by
Staff Writer
/ Pittsburgh Penguins

Are you ready for some hockey?

Check in frequently with PittsburghPenguins.com to obtain full coverage this week from the NHL’s Draft Combine in Toronto.

PittsburghPenguins.com will have full coverage of hockey’s top draft-eligible prospects for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft at General Motors Place in Vancouver on June 24 at 6 p.m. The Pittsburgh Penguins will select second overall at the Entry Draft. The Draft will be broadcast in the United States on OLN.

PittsburghPenguins.com will also feature coverage of the NHL's top prospects in the weeks leading up to the Entry Draft as well.

The world’s top 115 draft-eligible prospects are invited to take part in the NHL Draft Combine at the Park Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel. The draft hopefuls will take part in physical testing and medical examinations as well as interviews with team officials during the event.

The invitees represent the NHL Central Scouting department’s top-rated 70 skaters and nine goaltenders from North American leagues and the projected top 36 European skaters and goaltenders.

Highlighting the list of invitees is a record 10 players from the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based United States National Under-18 team, led by defenseman Erik Johnson, the top-rated North American player in Central Scouting’s mid-season rankings.

Among the many invitees with famous family connections in hockey are: Peterborough Petes center Jordan Staal, whose brothers Eric (Carolina Hurricanes) and Marc (Sudbury Wolves, OHL) attended the Combine in 2003 and 2005, respectively; center Viktor Tikhonov (Demitrov, Russian league), grandson of the legendary Soviet coach of the same name; U.S. National Under-18 left wing Blake Geoffrion, grandson of Hockey Hall of Famer Bernie Geoffrion and son of former NHL player Danny; and Sudbury Wolves left wing Nick Foligno, son of former NHL player and current Wolves head coach Mike Foligno.

Following is a list of the 115 players invited to the 2006 NHL Draft Combine: